Butterfly Cluster (M6)

Let's fly with the Butterfly Cluster, a cosmic jewel shining in all its dazzling beauty. 

• Object type: Open Cluster
• Designation: M6 / NGC 6405
• Hemisphere: Southern
• Constellation: Scorpius
• Distance: 1,600 light-years

The Delicate Grace of the Butterfly Cluster

M6, or colloquially the Butterfly Cluster, is a striking open cluster located in the southern constellation of Scorpius. With stars sparkling like jewels scattered across the sky, this cosmic masterpiece lies about 1,600 light-years away from Earth. Its shape, resembling a butterfly with wings spread, offers a perfect subject for astrophotography.

This image was captured over several hours using a cooled CCD camera and LRGB filters to enhance the contrast of its young, hot blue stars. The cluster is estimated to be around 100 million years old, relatively young on a cosmic scale, with many of its brightest stars classified as spectral type B, giving them their distinctive blue hue.

The standout star in the cluster, the orange giant BM Scorpii, provides a stunning colour contrast with the surrounding blue stars. This star is in a later stage of stellar evolution, offering a beautiful juxtaposition to the youthful, hot stars in M6. The bright, vivid points of light in the cluster are well-resolved in this high-resolution image, revealing the delicate interplay of colour and light.

Acquisition details

• Integration: 9 hours
• Acquisition: Telescope Live
• Processing: PixInsight
• Location: Chile